DES MOINES, IOWA (January 24, 2020) — The Iowa Attorney General has released recommended improvements to our state’s manufactured housing laws. This is a great opportunity to finish the work we began last year to strengthen the rights of manufactured home owners.
As out-of-state corporations have purchased manufactured-home parks in several Iowa communities, we’ve seen a spike in complaints concerning:
- Rent increases of up to 69%.
- Utility fees that exceed the landlords’ costs for service.
- Arbitrary fees and fines.
- Evictions for no reason that have resulted in residents losing homes they’ve bought.
To help the growing problem, Iowa’s Attorney General recommends legislators update state law (Iowa Code Chapter 562B) to:
- Limit rent increases to once per year, as well as the amount rent can be increased.
- Extend the notice period for a rent increase to 180 days (from the current 60 days).
- Strengthen park tenant rights regarding eviction, lease termination and landlord retaliation to match those of residential tenants.
- Prevent landlords from charging more than the actual cost of utilities.
- Establish clear authority to enforce manufactured home laws and protect home owners.
- Give tenants the option to purchase the manufactured-home park before it can be sold for any other use.
- Allow tenants to fix problems when the landlord fails to maintain the property, similar to residential tenant rights.
For complete recommendations from the Iowa Attorney General, to review Iowa’s current laws for manufactured homes, or to file a complaint, go to wp.me/p8aBRy-7hm.
Additional information
This is a legislative update by State Senator Jim Lykam, representing Davenport and Buffalo. For bio, photos and further information, go to senate.iowa.gov/senator/lykam.
To contact Sen Lykam when the Legislature is in session, call the Senate Switchboard at 515-281-3371. Otherwise he can be reached at 563-391-1919. E-mail him at jim.lykam@legis.iowa.gov.
Sen Lykam serves on the following committees:
- Appropriations
- Commerce (Ranking Member)
- Natural Resources and Environment
- Transportation
- Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals Appropriations Subcommittee (Ranking Member)
